See this vehicle at the 2026 Car Show
Selecting a Classic
As Told by Steve Kelley
My first time behind the wheel of a Porsche was way back in high school when a friend threw me the keys to his dad’s 1968 Porsche 912 Targa and said: “Let’s see if you can drive a manual transmission car”. It turned out to be an amazing experience, and I thought to myself how lucky I was to have actually driven a German sports car at the ripe old age of 17. Fast forward to much later in life, and I was invited to a track day at Laguna Seca in 2010. I had a fairly sporty car at the time, but I noticed that many of the other cars on track were some flavor of Porsche 911. So after doing some research, I eventually I traded up to my first Porsche – a used 2000 911 Turbo. I enjoyed it as a daily driver to and from work while also logging about 25 track days on weekends. It was an absolutely fantastic car! However, as with high-performance driving, the slippery slope led me to seek an even more track-focused car to lower my lap times. It was the year 2017, and I had in my head that I needed a GT3.
As it turned out, there were several for sale at the time, but the one that really caught my eye was located in Idaho, and it had beautiful blue paint. And it wasn’t just a GT3; it was a GT3 RS, one of Porsche’s most potent track-oriented cars. So up to Idaho I went to see the car in person. It all checked out, and after purchasing the car, I decided to drive it home the next day rather than shipping it. So there, through the lonely back roads of eastern Nevada, I quickly learned this car was special, and the destiny of this car was set to be a driving car – not one for the dusty corner of a garage.
After all, it still retains the manual transmission that I loved about that 1968 912 I drove in high school, but this version adds some 350 more horsepower. Better yet, it made that power with a still-naturally aspirated engine that actually sounds amazing. Two days after arriving home, I put the car on track at Laguna Seca to really experience the car toward the limit of its capabilities. I’ve enjoyed this car on track several times each year since I’ve owned it. While newer GT3’s continue to improve performance, I feel this car provides a very special and engaging driving experience that the newer cars can no longer match, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be its owner & caretaker.
The specifics: This Porsche is a second-generation 997 GT3 RS. The 3.8-liter engine produces 450 naturally aspirated horsepower and is one of only 26 produced in desirable Aqua Blue with Weissgold (white gold) wheels and graphics.
The car spent several years in Europe, where Porsche Team Manthey Racing tuned the suspension in preparation for circuiting the Nürburgring. The legendary Porsche factory race driver Olaf Manthey piloted the circuit in this car for a couple of laps to test the setup!
This is the last generation of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS to retain a manual gearbox and hydraulic steering, both of which deliver a visceral, engaging driving experience.
And yes, it’s been to Safeway to gather groceries, so it’s multi-functional!
Here are a couple of shots taken at the KRON Promo Shoot for the 2026 Orinda Classic Car Show with Vicki Liviakis KRON4 Anchor. Watch the video here.